It all started two years ago with my grandmother and a man by the name of Curtis Grant.

Perhaps some Buckeye fans remember Grant and some don’t. He was a five star linebacker prospect out of the state of Virginia who had massive expectations coming into his first season at Ohio State. He was dubbed by many as the next legendary Buckeye linebacker following the line of Jack Tatum, AJ Hawk, James Laurinaitis, Chris Spielman, and many more.

But Grant underachieved to put it nicely in his first couple years at Ohio State, and he even suffered the loss of his father in his junior season. This gave him doubts about continuing his football career, but he returned and did so not by being the next Tatum or Spielman, but by being the best Curtis Grant that he could be – and fortunately enough, I got the chance to meet him.

Being from Richmond, Virginia myself, I do not live far from where Grant played his high school football, at Hermitage High School. At the time, my grandmother was in her last few months of her life after a battle with breast cancer. Her Hospice nurse noticed our Buckeye fanaticism and mentioned that she knew Grant from high school. A week or so later when the team had a break to go home, Grant entered our living room to see my grandma.

This was shortly after the passing of Grant’s father, so he was by no means obligated to visit us or even care. He did anyway. He greeted my grandma with a hug and talked to her about how she was doing. Despite her condition, I saw the smile that it brought to her face.

It’s not every day that one gets to meet the captain of the football team from The Ohio State University, but I along with my grandma and family enjoyed the moment. She along with the rest of us asked Grant questions about the team, who at the time was preparing for their showdown against Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game.

My father and I then showed Grant our Ohio State themed basement, and he said that he had never seen anything like it. His first comment was, “Y’all definitely are no fair-weather fans.”

He walked around the room in awe of the memorabilia that my dad has collected over the years. But after the tour of the room, Grant gave my grandmother a piece of memorabilia that held way more worth than any of the memorabilia that we already had – including star lineman Orlando Pace’s real locker from his playing days, more worth than our 2002 National Championship tickets, and even more worth than our single football with a signature from every one of Ohio State’s Heisman Trophy winners.

He presented her with an Ohio State sweatshirt signed by him also with the initials – “BWP.” Bless With a Purpose.

Leading into his senior season, his starting role was in jeopardy to current linebacker Raekwon McMillan, another five star linebacker from Georgia. But Grant put those doubts to rest as he became the captain of the defense, a captain of the team, and the captain of the return of the Silver Bullets.

My grandmother eventually passed away about a month later. The Buckeyes fell to the Spartans that season, but they obviously followed that up with an impressive season after that. She didn’t get to see Grant and the Buckeyes win the National Championship the next year, but I imagine that she was keeping an eye out from heaven. I would also imagine that Grant’s father was watching along with her.

It was awesome for my family and I to have a personal connection to the 2014 championship team, but even if the Buckeyes had fallen this short of that feat, all that truly mattered was Grant’s blessing that he gave to my grandmother. If there is anything that Grant taught me during his visit that I could apply to my own life, it was simply to Bless With a Purpose.

I feel it was a great piece and he talked about what an elite wrestler.

Many people reading this haven’t seen a wrestling match or don’t watch them regularly, so I’ll try to keep this rather simple. Stieber just won his fourth Division 1 NCAA Championship. That’s a feat that has only been accomplished by three others since the NCAA began allowing freshmen to compete in the late 1960s.

People often forget about wrestling being a team sport at the high school and college levels, but it very much is. Each weight class is like a different position on a team. Each member of the team must do his job in order for the team to have success. When you look at it that way, Stieber not only did his job, but also has been the best player at his position during all four years of his college career.

That’s something that Marcus Mariota, Frank Kaminsky, Jack Eichel and Dansby Swanson — his fellow nominees — were never able to say during their highly decorated careers.

J.P. Scott has nailed it. So what say you Buckeye Nation. We have until July 15th at 8 PM/EST to make this happen.

Also while you are there some kid named Cardale Jones and his coach are up for Best Breakthrough Athlete and Best Coach/Manager so maybe throw them some votes to since they did OK this past season.

This is the inaugural year of the B1G Conference. Sure there’s only six teams in the men’s conference play but they represent 56 National Titles. Johns Hopkins who’s one of the most dominate program in the NCAA, having 44 National Championships, joined the B1G for lacrosse. Big Ten newcomers Maryland has 11 National Titles with Rutgers having 1. Might be safe to say that the B1G is going to be a power conference along with the ACC and Ivy Leagues.

The woman’s conference is just as formidable. Also having six teams like their male counterparts difference being Northwestern instead of Johns Hopkins. The other teams that represent both the men and women are Maryland, TTUN, Ohio State, Penn State along with Rutgers. The women’s teams of Maryland has 11 National Titles, Northwestern with 7, followed up by Penn State’s 2.

Pretty impressive what the Big Ten teams representing the conference have done in lacrosse.

Speaking of impressive both the men and women have pulled off the upsets to play in the Inaugural B1G Conference Tournament Championship Matches. The #3 seed Buckeye men (11-5) play top seeded Johns Hopkins (8-6) tonight at 8pm meanwhile the #4 seed Buckeye women (13-6) face #2 seed Penn State (13-4) at noon tomorrow.

How did we get here? The men pulled off the upset over #2 seed Maryland by coming back in the second half with a final score of 9-6. Far cry from what happened in Columbus when they last met on April 18 in from of thousands of fans where the Terps pulled off the comeback taking OSU to overtime and winning that match.

I am not going to pretend I know much about lacrosse but I have started to enjoy more after watching the Spring Games plus fellow twitter followers have been helping me (you know who you are). Why buy the fight tonight,unless you have money to burn, when you can watch it next week on HBO or Showtime since folks like me already pay for them (Hope its on next week)? You can watch your favorite school tonight take on a top program in a exciting sport for free!

By the way the men’s team did beat Johns Hopkins earlier this year so they have a legitimate shot at this meanwhile the women only lost by one their last meeting against the Nittany Lions.

The last few years I have made the trek down I-71 from Northeast Ohio down to Columbus for the Arnold Classic. No I’m not into the whole weightlifting scene as time on that has passed me by, but I think (in my mind anyways) at my size I can get away at looking like a former lifter. Honestly its kind of refreshing that this is a place at my size that I don’t get any stares or people saying man your a big guy. I digress to what has brought me a sense of pride especially so much so this year. Columbus is like a second home to me, my second city behind Cleveland. The Land will always be my home and have that special tug at my heart but there is something about Columbus that has a special spot also. No its definitely not the drivers down here (your a bunch of crazy selfish thugs). Its The Ohio State University,The Scarlet and Gray, The Buckeye Leaf, The Buckeye Nation.

Many of us if fortunate enough to get to spend quality time with our fathers, want to be like them and love the same things as them. I was no different growing up watching Browns, Indians, Cavs, and Buckeye games with my Dad. When he use to score tickets to go to any of these events it was the best thing (there was no HD and 100 camera angles when I was a kid). Walking into the Old Cleveland Stadium had a great feeling but it honestly felt like it needed to be redone or fixed up especially when you were forced to watched a Browns game behind a pillar at least the Indians games you were able to move closer to the field because there wasn’t many fans showing up at all. Cavalier games were a trek to the Richfield Coliseum but that place was fantastic (sorry Q your really a good stadium but the Richfield was better IMO). Getting to go to The Shoe was the best. Nothing ever compared. You could tell that it was (and still is) an old stadium but even to this day I still get goosebumps every time I enter the Rotunda going into the greatest stadium in all of college football. The House that Harley built, the greats that have played on that field, coached on the sidelines, The Best Damn Band in The Land and what they do and have done on that field, the feats that were accomplished on that track (yes there use to be a track in The Shoe youngins Google it).

The last week there has been a flood of news coming out about The Ohio State University and its all been so positive its great. Yes I know that there is more to OSU than football (heck I’m going to the men’s regular season finale against Wisconsin). There is the B1G Championship Wrestling Tournament taking place on the campus right now, women’s basketball team has a really bright future with Mitchell and Hart plus the other sports in general are really on the rise. Buckeye Nation has so much to be proud of right now its not even funny. The reason we key so much on football especially here at MotSaG is that is what you our readers are telling us you are looking at which is great. 2010-2011 the Buckeye football program took a huge black eye and some really came after the Buckeyes (I’m looking at you four letter network). Jim Tressel “The Senator” “The Sweatervest” was forced to resign in May of 2011. Everything was so bleak, many were calling for AD Gene Smith’s head (I was in that camp) for what felt like his arrogance of not self imposing a bowl ban on 2011 season.

November 2011 a new era was born, Urban Meyer was hired as the leader of the Buckeye program. Buckeye Nation was ecstatic the rest of the nation was not at all.

I’ve had this on the back of my pick up truck since Jan 2012 “Urban Renewal- Restoring Greatness inside the Horsehoe”. Urban’s first season the man leads the Buckeyes to a 12-0 record and should have played against Notre Dame and won the National Championship that year but no we really were the one’s catfished thanks to Gene Smith right (more on that later). 2013 the Buckeyes go 12-2 only losses were the ones that meant something, MSU in B1G Championship game and Orange bowl to Clemson. 2014 starts off shaky with Braxton going down and the loss to Virginia Tech. Meyer and company kept the team together and grew stronger and was getting better. There were still skeptics like myself before the Michigan State game but they came out and showed this is a team lead by one of the greatest coaches of our time. We all know what happened to finish off the year and coach Meyer wasn’t even B1G Coach of the Year. Yes as a homer I and all of Buckeye Nation was out raged but the ones in the national media who know and understand football like Phil Steele claimed that Meyer was COY. What was interesting was what Jon Gruden recently said

“What he did at Ohio State, losing a Heisman Trophy candidate and then doing what he did with two different quarterbacks that were backups. Amazing to me.”

How can you argue with that? Urban Meyer has Restored Greatness inside the Horseshoe plus what he is doing with these kids and teaching them leadership and turning them into men . You aren’t hearing of the Florida problems that were all his fault that supposedly followed him here but mysteriously have gone away, because kids have bought in and know there are consequences for their actions in Ohio. In my opinion it seems like a lot of covering up going up in the Whole State of Florida. I don’t want to make accusations but honestly three different universities and their issues and its always business as usual just saying.

Remember the catfishing I was saying about the Gene Smith situation? Well lets be men here and say everyone makes mistakes, they still got a ring for that season (I’m looking at you Mark May, You mad Bro). Smith is only the eighth athletic director for The Ohio State University, been going strong since March 5, 2005. I know it can be easy sitting on the outside saying if “I was in that position I would do this”, until your in that position you don’t know all the variables. Smith has put the Buckeyes on the map as a destination to bring in the best coaches in all sports, Bringing in Meyer, Matta who has turned the Buckeyes into a school that you can say plays basketball too, and recently brought Kevin McGuff to lead the woman’s basketball program who is on the verge of blowing up if they can get past the injuries, just to name a few. Gene Smith has been the leader who has helped turned the Buckeye Athletic program into one of the Top 10 of all of Sports Programs in the Nation per Forbes.

“The culture of OSU Athletics is one of excellence that is focused on the growth and development of each person. It is an environment where all individuals are valuable members of the team with ideas to contribute and given the opportunity to lead those efforts. The department provides traditional education opportunities as well as engage’s employees with projects to stretch them and grow new skills. Individuals are given autonomy at the local level to determine what works best for their group. Gene [Smith] truly supports each individual and allows them to lead. It is a culture of we and not me as cliché as that sounds. I am very thankful for the opportunity the Buckeye’s have given me to grow my professional skills.” – Janine Oman, Assoc Athletics Director Sport Administration/Sport Performance

Yes a National Championship does bring in a ton of pride into a University and fan base, but honestly I can’t remember feeling so much pride for the Scarlet and Gray as I feel now as when they last won their National Championship. This is due to the leaders like Gene Smith who has went out and found quality leaders to lead each individual program with pride and turn the young men and women who play for the Buckeyes into great leaders of tomorrow. I would personally like to thank Gene Smith for what he has done and all of the coaches who work there butts off to help build a better tomorrow by being the greatest.

This might seem like an odd place to talk about this, as it has nothing to do with Ohio State or the Big Ten or Brady Hoke’s waistline. This is way more important than those things. This is about kids–young athletes who just want a chance to make it in college football, an entity that has become an enormous star-making, money-printing machine powered by the passion of students, alumni, and fans.

This is about terrible people who exploit that passion, who take advantage of those kids, who make a mockery of the sport we love.

First and foremost, read this: Are There Two Fake Schools Operating On The Periphery of CFB? This was posted by reddit user /u/Honestly_ to /r/cfb on Friday. Many of you have probably seen it, but for those of you who haven’t, please go read it. You don’t have to read all the comments, but read through Honestly’s write-up and check out the links he provides. This is crazy, shocking stuff.

It’s important right now, because ESPN posted a story the same day about a new NCAA defensive record set by D-II Tusculum College. The school they set that record against is the College of Faith, one of the two schools Honestly investigated. Do we want the record books rewritten against programs that aren’t connected to legitimate institutes of higher learning?

While Honestly raises the possibility that the “student” athletes may be complicit in this (possibly getting paid since they wouldn’t be subject to any regulation,) I’m more inclined to think that’s not the case. The schools seem set up specifically to target the unsuspecting and naive, using religion as a hook in the way politicians and televangelists often do. The admissions requirements are non-existent. There are nonrefundable fees and “tuition deposits.” There are charges for adding and dropping courses. One the schedules implies that three of the games will be televised by ESPN, but this is pretty obviously a lie.

Davidson College played College of Faith on August 30th. The shutout victory was Davidson’s first win since November of 2012 and their first by more than eight points since September of 2011. Davidson plays in the Division I-FCS Pioneer League, the same conference that houses the University of Dayton’s football program. While it’s unlikely that an FBS school would schedule a game with one of these “colleges,” it’s concerning that they have managed to get on the field with a Div-I program, even one that’s not very good.

While I personally think these organizations should be thoroughly investigated and immediately shut down, I understand that’s probably unlikely. At the very least, I hope this serves as a cautionary tale for young athletes looking for an opportunity to show their stuff at the next level.

Since this is my last semester at The Ohio State University, I knew I had to find the class about which I had heard since freshman year: the football coaching class, taught by the football coach. The night before I scheduled, I happened to be at a friend’s house, and one of his roommates was looking for the class as well. Once we found the official class number, I knew I had to add it to my schedule for the fall semester.

The class meets at 7:30 at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, meaning I have to wake up around 6:15 to get ready and then drive over to get there before 7:25 (you don’t want to be late to this class). The class has met twice this semester, and Coach Stan Jefferson, Director of Player Development, and Coach Hiram A. de Fries, Football Administrative Assistant to the Head Coach, have been in class both days. Coach Meyer came in and spoke for about 20-30 minutes each day. We haven’t gotten into football play and the like yet, as it’s mainly been lessons on motivation and, as Coach Meyer says, “how to build a great team.” Coach Meyer did, however, teach us about the “Buckeye Plan To Win.” (If you would like to read further on the plan to win, here is an article about it from when Coach Meyer came to Ohio State.)

Play Great Defense

Turnovers

Score in the Red Zone

Win the Kicking Game

There isn’t much more to say about this class as of yet, though I can tell you there will be some exciting things. I have to scout a high school game on offense and defense, write two practice reports (one of which will be an OSU practice report), and we’ll soon start learning about individual position play. Coach Meyer isn’t slated on the syllabus to teach another class. Rather, we have each position coach teaching their position. For example, Linebacker Play will be taught by Coach Fickell, QB Play and the Pass Attack taught by Coach Herman, and so on. This should be a great class, and hopefully I’ll be able to transfer some of the knowledge on football scouting, position play, and game planning on to the fine readers of Men of the Scarlet and Gray. Go Bucks.

(This is a guest post from Korey M. from Roomer Travel. This post will be of interest to those of you who may have booked a trip to Pasadena early (oops!))

O-H!!!

As we all know, our Buckeyes are not heading to Pasadena… Instead, Auburn and Florida State will be there. For us Buckeye fans, we are now working on our travel plans in reaching Miami (where we will have redemption when defeating Clemson).

I don’t know about everyone else, but I had quite a few friends who went about booking hotel rooms for the National Championship this year, assuming it would be our Buckeyes competing. Well, as said earlier, plans changed. We WILL be in a bowl game, the Orange Bowl. But what to do about those rooms we booked in Pasadena? Most of the reservations were non-refundable, leaving us stuck with a hotel room that we can’t use.

Luckily for us die-hard Buckeye fans (and maybe other fans as well) there is a website that exists to help with such situations. Roomer Travel allows people to post their hotel reservations when they are not able to use them, then others who are looking to travel can buy those rooms!

Although the optimal outcome would have been to use our reservations in seeing the Buckeyes beat up Jameis Winston and taking home the National Championship, this is a close second. Now we are given an opportunity to sell our Pasadena rooms to Seminole and Tiger fans. Then we can use that money to book new rooms in Miami for the Orange Bowl. Here’s to hoping we can all make it to Miami!

It’s time to announce the winner of MotSaG’s 2013 Regular Season Pick ’em Contest:

And you winner (drum roll, please) is…

Buckeye Lad (aka Danny!)

We would all like to give Danny a huge pat on the back and a hearty handshake and tell him congrats on his victory.

Danny’s record of 154-131 is certainly nothing to scoff at. We’ll be sending Danny his prize package, a nice $25 Amazon.com gift certificate that can be used in the upcoming MotSaG Amazon Gift Guide and an 11×14″ Framed Copy of Braxton Miller’s SI cover from SICovers.com.

Thanks to everyone who participated and we hope to do this again next year.

Also, a huge thanks to SICovers.com for providing this fantastic gift for us. We want everyone to visit their site, patronize their business and send everyone on your gift list a beautifully framed Sports Illustrated cover. (Preferably one with a Buckeye gracing it)

Josh makes a huge leap in week 9, hitting on 15 of 20 picks to jump up to a tie with Phil my nuts. Urban Meyer’s Wieners hold on fifth place is looking tenuous at best at this point.

At this point, it’s probably too late to join, but if you’re just looking to test your mettle against the spread, (I believe) you can still join the league:Yahoo’s Fantasy College Pick’em:
Group ID: 11226
Password: buckeyes